Swedish commercial vehicle maker Scania AB has begun operations in East Africa with a center in Nairobi, Kenya. An independent distributor had previously represented Scania in that country.

"This is a long-term commitment to Kenya and East Africa," said Per Holmström, managing director for Scania East Africa. "The market provides great opportunities and challenges for the transportation industry."

The East African transport sector is expected to grow by as much as 15 percent annually, driven by strong economic growth that's expected to generate greater transport flow of goods from the port of Mombasa into eastern Africa.

Eastern Africa will now be integrated in Scania's global sales and service network. In Kenya, Scania maintains dealers in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Nakuru. Scania presently has a limited share of the heavy truck market but a significant share of the bus market. With its strengthened commitment, Scania has set ambitious targets for substantial growth.

Training and development of drivers form an essential part of Scania's customer offering. By developing their skills, professional drivers can generate better uptime, lower fuel consumption and safer transport.

"Professional driver training is one of the best ways to improve road safety," Per Holmström said.

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